Wire-grip.



o. A. sVBNssoN. WIRE GRI?.

APPLICATION FILED MAB4.18,`1,910.

977,236. PatentedNov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 me Khmer: PETERS ca., wAsHmamN, n.12

G. A. svENssoN. WIRE GRIP.`

APPLICATION IILBD MAR. 18, 1910.

977,236. Patented N0v.29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES FATNT @FISE CLAES A. SVENSSON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WIRE-GRIP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAES A. SvENssoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in lire-Grips, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grips designed more particularly for use by linemen for grasping telephone and telegraph wires while stringing or tightening the same. A grip of this character is shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 496,104, granted to myself April 25, 1893. These grips have usually been provided with a spring which operated constantly to close the aws of the grip. This necessitated holding the jaws apart by hand in opposition to the resilience of the spring preparatory to applying the jaws to the wire to be gripped. Inasmuch as the lineman is often in a position which permits him to use but one hand for manipulating the grip, for instance, when holding himself by the other hand on a pole, it is then a difficult matter for the lineman to both hold the jaws open against the spring pressure and also apply the same to the wire to be grasped.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple, eflicient and durable retaining device for the grip, whereby the jaws of the same may be held in an open position against the action of the spring without using the hand for this purpose, thereby leaving the latter free to apply the grip easily and conveniently to the wire and whereby the jaws after being applied to the wire may be quickly and easily released so as to permit the same to grasp the wire.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grip provided with one form of my retaining device and showing the same in an open position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly broken away, and showing the position of the parts when the jaws are closed. Fig. 3 is an edge view thereof corresponding to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross section in line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. is a plan view of a grip showing another form of my invention. Fig. G is a sectional top plan view of a grip showing another form of my invention. Fig. 7 is a sectional top plan View of a grip showing still another form of my invention. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 18, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 550,173.

section in line 8 8, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional top plan view of a grip showing another form of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, A represents the body or main member of the grip which has the form of a longitudinal bar. The front part a of this body forms the stationary jaw of the grip. B is the movable jaw which is arranged opposite the stationary jaw and movable toward and from the latter for closing and opening the grip. For this purpose the stationary and movable jaws are preferably pivotally connected at their ends by a link C and pivotally at their front ends by the inner arm CZ of an actuatinglever D, so that the jaws always remain parallel. E is a draft loop or member movable lengthw wise on the rear end of the body bar and F the two sections or members of a coupling link connecting the outer arm Z1 of the actuating lever with the loop so as to transmitthe movement of the latter to the lever. The rear ends of the coupling link sections F are arranged on opposite sides of the body A and the ends or arms c, c1 of the draft link are arranged on the outer side of the link sections F. This draft loop and the coupling link sections are pivotally connected by a transverse pin g which passes through a longitudinal slot h in the rear part of the body A. I represents a spring which tends constantly to move or press the twoA jaws toward each other and close the grip. This spring is preferably arranged between the members of the coupling link F and engages at one end with a shoulder or pin z' on one member of this link while its other end engages with a shoulder 1 on the adjacent outer end of the actuating lever.

Heretofore a lineman, when applying this grip to a wire I1 had to hold the same open manually which at times was very difficultparticularly when only one hand was free to manipulate the grip and the latter was provided with a spring which tended constantly to close the jaws of the grip. For holding the jaws in an open position without requiring the use of the hand for this purpose, retaining device is provided which can be rendered inoperative after the jaws have been applied to the wire and thus permit theI latter to be grasped by the aws. The means for this purpose shown in Figs. 1 4 are designed to perform this function frietionally and comprise a retaining, clamping or pressing finger J projecting from the branch or arm e of the loop E adjacent to the pin g and toward that side on which the coupling link F is arranged and having an inclined or cam-shaped underside, as shown at j.

Normally the jaws of the grip are closed and its loop is arranged parallel with the body. Preparatory to applying the grip to a wire the lineman first pushes the loop and rear end of the coupling link forwardly so as to open or separate the jaws and also turns the loop laterally out of parallelism with the body so that the retaining linger is shifted from a position in rear of the coupling link, as shown in Fig. 2, to a position in which the retaining finger is arranged above one of the members of the coupling link, as shown in Fig. l. In thus moving the retaining finger over the coupling link its inclined underside engages the edge of the link and the finger' is deflected out of its normal position or strained so that when the same is arranged above the link it'bears against the latter by its end and thus draws the two members or sections of the link F against opposite sides of the body A, through the medium of the loop, thereby holding` the parts of the grip frict-ionally in a position in which its jaws are open, as shown in Figs. l and il. The grip may now be applied freely and conveniently by one hand to a wire without being obliged at the same time to hold the jaws open by hand. After the jaws are applied to the wire it is only necessary to turn the loop from the laterally inclined position, shown in Fig. l, to the position in which it is in alinement with the body A, whereby the retaining finger is disengaged from the coupling link and the sections are disengaged from the body, whereby the spring is free to shift the parts of the grip in a direction for closing the jaws against opposite sides of the wire, as shown in Fig. 2.

Instead of holding the jaws frictionally in their open position this may be effected mechanically. Means of the last mentioned character are shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

ln the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 5, the jaws are held in an open position by turning the draft member E laterally when the same is in its foremost position and thereby cause a hook 29 on the draft member adjacent to its pivot to engage with a pin 721 on the body A. Upon straightening out the draft member after the wire has been placed between the jaws the hook p will clear the pin p1 and permit the aws to close on the wire.

rfhe jaws, as shown in Fig. 6, may also be held in an open position by providing the guide slot h1 of the body at its front end with an enlarged part h2 and constructing the pivot pin of the draft member with an oblong central part g1 and connecting this pivot with the draft member so as to turn with the latter. Vhen the draft member is in its rearward position the flat sides of the oblong part g1 of the pivot pin engage with opposite sides of the narrow rear part /Ll of the slot, thereby holding the draft member against turning but permitting the same to slide forwardly and backwardly on the body. Upon pushing the draft member forwardly until the oblong part of its pivot pin is in the enlarged part of the slot and then turning the draft member laterally the oblong part will be arranged crosswise in the enlargement and at an angle to the straight part and prevented from entering the latter, thereby locking the jaws in an open position, ready for receiving the wire. After the wire is placed between the jaws the draft member is straightened, so that the flat side of the oblong part (/L is in line with the straight part of the slot when the draft member may be moved backwardly and the jaws closed on the wire.

The form of detent device shown in Figs. 7 and S comprises a slot /z arranged lengthwise in a body A and having an enlargement it* at its rear end. Extending through j this slot, through the coupling links F1. F1

arranged on opposite sides of thc body and through the arms e2, cS of the draft member or loop E is a pivot bolt having a flat sided central part q which is arranged in the slot, a cylindrical part Q1 on which one arm of the coupling links and one of the draft arms turn, a head or shoulder 7 2 at one end bearing against the outer side of the adjacent draft arm, and a screw thread r/S at its opposite end which engages with an internally threaded opening in the other draft arm. `While the pivot bolt is in the enlarged rear part 7L* of the slot the same may be connected with the arms of the draft loop and the coupling links and also adjusted relatively to these parts. Upon pushing the draft loop forwardly, so that the central flat sided part g of the pivot bolt enters the straight part of the slot z this bolt cannot turn. By turning the draft loop laterally while the same is in this forward position and the jaws are open the threaded lower arm of the loop tightens on the pivot bolt like a screw nut and causes the coupling links to be drawn against opposite sides of the body A, thereby holding the jaws in an open position. Upon again straightening the draft loop the coupling links are released from the body, thereby permitting the aws to close.

n Fig. 9 is shown a detent device which operates to hold the jaws yieldingly in a closed or open position. The means for this purpose consist of a spring Il mounted on one of the members of the link F2 and bearing at one end against an abutment lug 11 on the adjacent outer end of the actuating lever D1. Then the jaws are opened fully the spring l1 bears against the lug r on one side of the dead center of the pivotal connection between the coupling link and the lever, as shown in Fig. 9, and holds the jaws yieldingly in this position. Upon moving the draft loop backwardly and closing the jaws sufficiently to cause the abutment lug to be shifted, so that the pressure of the spring I1 against this lug is on the opposite side of the dead center of the pivotal connection between the coupling link and lever, the spring Il will then operate to hold the jaws yieldingly in a closed position.

lt will be noted that in the several constructions shown and described, the draft member when moved into its abnormal position operates to hold the jaws open while upon moving the draft member into its normal position the jaws are permitted to close.

I claim as my invention:

l. A grip having a pair of jaws which are relativelj7 movable for opening and closing the grip, a draft member operatively connected with said jaws and movable into and out of its normal position, and means for holding said jaws in an open position while the draft member is in its abnormal position and which permit said jaws to close upon moving the draft member into its normal position.

A grip having a body provided with a stationary jaw, a movable jaw coperating with the stationary jaw, a lever pivotally connecting the jaws, a draft member slidable lengthwise on the body and movable laterally into its normal or abnormal position, a link connect-ing the draft member and lever, a spring for closing said jaws, and means which operate to hold said aws in an open position when the draft member is in its abnormal position and which permit said jaws to close upon moving the draft member into its normal position.

3. A grip having a body provided with a stationary jaw, a movable jaw coperating with the stationary jaw, a link connecting said jaws, a lever pivotally connecting the jaws, a draft member slidable lengthwise on the body and movable laterally into its normal or abnormal position, a link connecting the draft member and lever, a spring for closing said jaws, and means which operate to hold said jaws in an open position when the draft member is in its abnormal position and which permit said jaws to close upon moving the draft member into its normal position.

4. A grip having a body provided with a stationary aw, a movable jaw coperating with the stationary aw, a link pivotally connecting said jaws, a lever pivotally connecting said jaws, a draft member slidable lengthwise on the body, a link connecting the draft member with said lever, and means operated by said draft member for pressing said last-mentioned link against said body.

5. A grip having a body provided at its rear end with a longitudinal slot and a stationary jaw at its front end, a movable jaw coperating with the stationary jaw, a link pivotally connecting said jaws, a lever pivotally connecting said jaws, a coupling link having two sections which are pivotally connected at their front ends with said lever and are arranged at their rear ends on opposite sides of said body, a draft loop having the front ends of its arms arranged on the outer side of said coupling link sections, a pin passing through said draft loop arms, said coupling link sections and the slot of said body, and a retaining finger arranged on one arm of the draft loop adjacent to said pin and having an inclined under side and adapted to engage with one of said coupling link sections.

6. A grip having a body provided at its rear end with a longitudinal slot and a stationary jaw at its front end, a movable jaw cooperating with the stationary jaw, a link pivotally connecting said jaws, a lever pivotally connecting said jaws, a coupling link having two sections which are pivotally connected at their front ends with said lever and are arranged at their rear ends on opposite sides of said body, a draft loop having the front ends of its arms arranged on the outer side of said coupling link sections, a pin passing through said draft loop arms and said coupling link sections on the slot of said body, a spring for moving said jaws into a closed position arranged between said coupling link sections and engaging at one end with one of said sections and at its opposite end against said lever, and a retaining finger arranged on one arm of the draft vloop adjacent to said pin and having an inclined under side and adapted to engage with one of said coupling link sections.

Witness my hand this 17th day of March, 1910.

CLAES A. SVENSSON.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. Porr, E. M. GRAHAM. 

